President Obama at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin on June 19. / Markus Schreiber, AP

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

by David Jackson, USA TODAY

It wasn't too hard to discern the theme of President Obama's speech Wednesday at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany: "Peace with justice."

Obama invoked the phrase -- borrowed from President John F. Kennedy -- no less than 10 times during his address in Berlin, outlining ambitious goals for the world that in many ways mirror his own domestic agenda.

"When Europe and America lead with our hopes instead of our fears, we do things that no other nations can do, no other nations will do," Obama said. "So we have to lift up our eyes today and consider the day of peace with justice that our generation wants for this world."

Invoking Kennedy's "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech in 1963, Obama cited a passage in which JFK told then-divided Berlin to look "to the day of peace with justice, beyond yourselves and ourselves to all mankind."

In echoing the phrase "peace with justice," Obama called for greater tolerance of differences in race, religion, gender and sexual orientation; a free enterprise system that includes investments in education, science and research; and helping other nations reach for freedom.

"Peace with justice" also includes efforts to reduce and even eliminate nuclear stockpiles, control climate change, confront poverty and hunger, and promote national security, Obama said.

The president also used the phrase "peace and justice" on at least two occasions.

Noting that Germany eventually tore down the Berlin Wall that had divided them, and won the Cold War, Obama said the world now needs to summon that same kind of effort.

Said Obama: "I've come here, to this city of hope, because the tests of our time demand the same fighting spirit that defined Berlin a half-century ago."